Wagon end-gate



(No Model.) G. H. JOHNSON.

WAGONBND GATE.

No. @810. PatentedAqg 2, 1892.

NITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE H. JOHNSON, OE JAMAICA, IOVA.

WAGON EN D-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,810, dated August 2, 1892.

Application filed August 15 1891. Serial No. 402,709. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. JOHNSON, a c tizen of the United States of America, residing at Jamaica, in the county of Guthrie and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Wagon End-Gate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of endgates which are adapted to be supported in an approximately horizontal position, as required to adapt it for use as a shoveling-board.

My object is to provide means for maintainlng a tight joint between the rear end of the bottom of the wagon-bed and that portion 0 the end-gate in juxtaposition thereto.

My invention consists, primarily, in the construction of a looking device adapted to connect the end-gate with both sides of the wagon-bed isochronously by the manipulation of a single lever, and also in the construction of an elbow-joint adapted to support the endgate at a slightly-upward incline from the bottom of the wagon-bed to produce a shovel ing-board, and in certain other features of construction, as hereinafter set forth,pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear end portion of a wagon-box of common form, showlng my end-gate applied thereto in a closed and locked position. Fig. 2 is a rear end view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same in an open position supported as required to be used as a shoveling-board.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A designates a wagon-box of common form havingabottom A to the under side of which is attached a wooden brace A Metal plates A having a convex outer edge and a circular perforation in the central portion thereof, are attached to the rear upper corners of the box and project rearwardly beyond the vertical plane thereof, and the wooden brace A has two metal plates B fixed to its underside, each having a slotted extension 13 which curves upward therefrom, and portions of the said brace in juxtaposition to the said slots are removed thereby, forming the opening B connected to the bed of the wagon in such a manner as to bemovable in a complete circle, a similar arm having a slot in its one end connected with the free end of the member D by means of a bolt D extended through it and through the said slot, while the remaining end of the arm D is pivoted to a side of the end-gate at a point lower than that to which the arm D is pivoted, as required, to allow the said arms while the end-gate is being closed to incline downward by gravity at the joint thereof, and thereby permit the end-gate to be closed.

It will be readily seen that if theimportant feature of pivoting the arm connected with the end-gate below that pivoted to the wagonbed was not observed, upon closing the endgate the bolt D would engage an end of the slot and prevent closing the end-gate until it was bent either upward or downward at its joint by the operator.

Two metal bars F are fixed to the rear end of the en d-gate O in alignment with the plates B on the wagon-bed and project downward and enter the slotted extension B thereby preventing all lateral movement of the endgate, and when the gate is open the projecting ends of the said bars enter the openings B as required, to allow the meeting edges of the wagon-bed and end-gate to form a tight joint.

H represents a lever fulcrumed to the central portion of the rear end of the end-gate and provided with a weight H on its upper end, and has two arms H pivotally connected therewith on oppositesides of the fulcrum and extending in approximately horizontal positions and in diverse directions, the outer ends of which arms are supported by being extended through brackets J. Slots are formed in the end-gate in alignment with the metal plates A on the wagon-bed and adapted to allow the said plates to be extended therethrough.

In the practical operation of myinvention, assuming that the end-gate is in an open position, it will be obvious to thosefamiliarized with this class of devices that the gate will be firmly supported, as required, toadapt it for use as a shoveling-board, anda tight joint be maintained between it and the wagon-bed, and when it is desired to close the said gate it will be seen that the slot-ted ends of the ICO directions, perforated plates secured to the wagon-bed and adapted to receive the ends of said arm-bolts, and a Weight secured to the free end of the lever, adapted when the endgate is being locked to pass a vertical line and remain at an incline and securely hold the said arms or bolts outward by means of the said weight, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE H. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

WILLARD EVANS, A. G. EDMAND. 

